Monday, December 31, 2012

The Korean Wave seems to have lapped over onto the global
catwalk, where models from the peninsula, in the words of one magazine,
are making strides "armed with a killer walk, crescent-shaped eyes, and
stunning bone structure."

Korean models have been cast in the
shows of luxury brands such as Alexander Wang, Dolce & Gabbana,
Marni, Miu Miu, Prada, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, and some of them
have even become the "face" of some well-known brands.

From left, Yoo Jae, Park Ji-hye and Park Sung-jin

Park Ji-hye (24) made her debut abroad in June, and has taken
part in over 30 shows in the world's four major fashion weeks in London,
Milan, New York and Paris. Models.com, which ranks models around the
world, listed her as one of the "Top 10 Newcomers."

Kim Sung-hee
(26) had her first fashion show abroad this spring and made a lasting
impression. She became the first Asian to advertise Miu Miu. She also
modeled for Italy's Benetton and French cosmetics chain Sephora.

Lee
Kyung-eon at model agency ESteem, said, "Kim's unique Asian look and
adroitness and her versatile expressions on stage make her a magnet to
the eye."

Among male models, Kim Won became the first Asian male
model to be featured in the 2013 Spring/Summer Prada fashion show in
Milan in June. The 25-year-old also did shows for Costume National, Etro
and Perry Ellis,.

Park Sung-jin (22) took part in shows for
Marc by Marc Jacobs and Tommy Hilfiger. Yoo Jae (23), who was the first
Asian male model on Calvin Klein's fashion show in February last year,
had a prolific year with shows for Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein and
Dolce & Gabbana.

Kim Won (left) and Kim Sung-hee

What is it about Korean fashion models that has captured the
industry? Dongduk Women's University professor and sometime model Kim
Dong-soo said, "When I talk with foreign model agencies, the feedback I
get is that Korean models are more active and lively than Japanese and
more sophisticated than Chinese. Another strength lies in walking.
Korean models go abroad after very rigorous training in Korea, so it
makes them stand out."

Aile Model Company CEO Jeong Jin-hee said,
"Korean models know how to make up for their lack of linguistic
proficiency with their expressiveness. Their greatest strength is that
they know how to express the feel of the clothes with their body." Choi
Joo-soo of Choi Entertainment said, "These models who lead the Korean
Wave in the modeling industry, are not popular just because they are
Asian but because of their unique character and charm."

The year 2012 was more than usually full of ups and downs
around the world. Major world powers elected new leaders, and while in
some countries the new faces were no different from the old, in others
the results signaled important shifts. The global economic crisis showed
no signs of abating and cast especially dark clouds over southern
Europe. Civil wars and conflicts plagued the Middle East, killing tens
of thousands of innocent people.

◆ Obama Re-Elected

Pitching
a slogan of "forward," U.S. President Barack Obama was re-elected for
another four-year term. Obama beat off a challenge from Republican Mitt
Romney, who sought to judge the administration for failing to deliver on
its economic pledges. He won the support of a wide variety of voters
but faces a Senate dominated by Republicans.

U.S. President Barack Obama

◆ China, Japan Have New Leaders

The Chinese Communist
Party elected Xi Jinping as the country’s new leader in mid-November,
the first change in leadership in a decade there. The fourth generation
of China's leaders headed by Hu Jintao will step down in March of 2013.
China is expected to emerge as one of two global superpowers along with
the U.S. over the next 10 years. But the new Chinese leader faces
formidable tasks, including the huge gap between rich and poor and
social unrest in China.

Conservative Shinzo Abe, the chairman of Japan's Liberal Democratic
Party and proponent of strengthening Japanese military power, won by a
landslide in general elections to return as prime minister. Abe briefly
served five years ago but has since drifted significantly to the right.
Pundits say Japanese voters shifted with him because they face a
drawn-out recession and territorial disputes with neighboring countries.

Abe's election win is expected to dampen relations with Korea,
since he is trying to justify the country's World War II atrocities. He
has proposed scrapping past official apologies including one by former
Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993 which acknowledged the existence of
sex slaves from Asia and to a certain extent the role the Imperial Army
played in their enslavement.

◆ Territorial Disputes Flare Up in Asia

After Japan announced in
September it had bought the disputed islands in the East China Sea known
as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China from a private owner, bilateral
relations chilled and even veered close to armed confrontation.

Marking
the 75th anniversary of the Nanking Massacre on Dec. 13, when Japanese
soldiers entered China and embarked on a vicious campaign that included
mass rapes and killings of thousands of Chinese, a Chinese plane entered
disputed airspace near the contested islands. And when China bolstered
its territorial claims in the South China Sea, the Philippines turned to
the U.S. and Japan for support, while Vietnam turned to India.

◆ Fiscal Crisis in Southern Europe Worsens

The fiscal crisis in
southern Europe that began in 2009 continued to sap global economic
growth this year. In June, Spain applied for 100 billion euros in
emergency aid for its troubled banks, and the European Central Bank
sought to put out the fire through outright purchases of risky sovereign
bonds issued by troubled governments in the region.

The crisis
also caused a political turbulence in the region. In France, the
Socialists under Francois Hollande regained power for the first time in
17 years. More worryingly, in Greece parties of the extreme right gained
a significant foothold. But the region has yet to see the end of the
dark tunnel, with unemployment among young people soaring to 55 percent
in countries like Spain and Greece.

◆ 'Arab Spring' Turns Bloody

Democracy movements in Middle
Eastern countries either faced crises or escalated conflicts between
rival groups, demonstrating just how difficult the political transition
process can be.

The Islamist Mohamed Morsi was sworn in as
Egypt's fifth president, but clashes erupted between supporters and
opponents of a referendum proposed to revise the constitution.
Meanwhile, civil war in Syria intensified leading to the death of more
than 40,000 people. The "Arab spring" that saw falls of many autocratic
governments in the region has turned into an "Arab winter."

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Korea’s top twelve record-setting tourism destinations were revealed by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) at a celebration held on December 11 to mark the 50th anniversary of its establishment.

Out
of 28 candidates with a significant record in the tourism sector during
the KTO’s tenure, twelve tourism destinations were selected via online
and mobile surveys conducted by the KTO.

The Metasequoia Trail in Nami Island, the symbolic backdrop of Winter Sonata,
is still a hot spot drawing fans of the drama all year round. It’s a
wonderful place to take a stroll with loved ones (photo: Yonhap News).

[Memories of Winter Sonata remain in place]Nami Island in the Bukhangang is famously known to Korean and non-Korean tourists alike as the filming location of Korean hit dramaWinter Sonata.
True to its nickname ”Republic of Trees,” Nami Island leads visitors
down endless woodland paths. The Metasequoia Trail, in particular, has
gained unprecedented popularity since actor Bae Yong-jun and actress
Choi Ji-wu were featured walking together here in the popular drama. In
addition, a collection of galleries, museums, exhibitions, and craft
workshops are prepared with diverse cultural offerings to welcome the
inflow of visitors.

[Korea’s first non-verbal musical Nanta]Korea’s first non-verbal musical performance Nanta,
incorporating free rhythmical movements with unique traditional
drumbeats, brought fresh attention to domestic and international
performing stages. Since its debut in 1997, Nanta has drawn the
largest audiences in the history of performing arts in Korea and made
its way further into off Broadway in 2004, a first for Asian countries.

The Korean non-verbal musical Nanta
was first highlighted on the global stage in 1999 at the Edinburgh
Festival and now it has reached audiences in 37 nations including the
U.S., Mexico, Argentina, France, Spain, Turkey, Australia, and Japan
(photo: Yonhap News).

[Jeju’s infinite charms]Seongsan Ilchulbong and Olle Trail also made their way onto the list. Both are on Jeju Island
which was designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2007 and the New
7 Wonders of Nature in 2011. Seongsan Ilchulbong has long won
international acclaim. Located at the eastern tip of the island,
Seongsan Ilchulbong preserves Korea’s unique marine life including
topographic and geographic features and also its scenic landscape draws
millions of visitors.

Jeju Olle Trail
is 200 kilometers of walking paths, connecting each ten- to
20-kilometer course and leading travelers all along the south coast of
Jeju Island. This November, the final track was completed, opening up a
total of 430 kilometers on 21 courses. Seongsan Ilchulbong and Jeju Olle
Trail have been recognized for their contribution to drawing in the one
millionth visitor to Jeju Island this year.

Cheonwangbong
is one of mountain peaks in Jirisan National Park, covered in a blanket
of snow. Jirisan changes each season, offering something for hikers who
seek various aspects of the mountain’s terrain (photo: Yonhap News).

[First national park of Korea]Registered in 1967, Jirisan National Park
is Korea’s first national park. The mountain has the largest footprint
in Korea, spanning an area of 471,758 square kilometers and
incorporating one city, four counties, and three provinces -- Gyeongnam
(South Gyeongsang Province), Jeonnam (South Jeolla Province), and
Jeonbuk (North Jeolla Province).

With more than 4,000 rare
species of flora and fauna inhabiting the park alongside national
treasures such as Waun Cheonyeongsong (Millennium Pine Tree), Jirisan
has raised the profile of biodiversity conservation. In addition, the
full scenic view from each mountaintop has captured the hearts of
millions of visitors.

Seven more tourism spots were included on the list for their outstanding features. Geumgangsan offered the first chance for South Koreans to visit North Korea in 50 years of division. The sea fountain of Mokpo
was recognized for its dazzling water show interplayed by more than 292
LED lights, 73 multidirectional nozzles, and 203 airjets, while Mireuksan Ropeway was recognized for having the longest cable car ropeway in Korea offering a grand view of the whole Hallyeosudo Marine Park.

The entertainment world is buzzing as three leading celebrities
-- Zo In-sung, Kang Dong-won and Hyun Bin -- have all just returned
from their mandatory military service. Movie, drama and commercial film
producers are already competing fiercely to get hold of them, and
consequently their value is rising even further.

The stars
reportedly received scripts for movies or TV dramas three to six months
before each of them were discharged. Hyun Bin is said to have received
dozens of movie and drama offers, and rumors are circulating that he has
already signed five to six advertising deals, with more under
discussion.

"Hyun Bin has very short hair now, so he needs some
time to let it grow out," his agency said. "He is likely to appear in a
drama or film in the latter half of next year at the earliest. For now,
he'll just start off by holding an Asian fan meeting prior to his drama
'Secret Garden' being aired in Japan early next year."

Kang
Dong-won completed his military service in November and chose "Nameless
Gangster" director Yoon Jong-bin's new film as his comeback project. The
movie, which still lacks an official title, revolves around a gang of
bandits in the Chosun Dynasty and is due to begin shooting early next
year.

Kang's agency said he has decided to appear in two movies
and is discussing other projects. "Given that a movie takes about a year
from shooting to release, his schedule for the next two years is set,"
it said.

From left, Hyun Bin, Kang Dong-won and Zo In-sung

Zo In-sung, who has only appeared in TV commercials since he
was released from his military duty in May last year, will return to TV
screens with a drama that is scheduled to air in February.

Industry
insiders say that actors generally get paid less after they return from
the army, but the three heartthrobs are expected to command their
previous fees or even higher.

They are known to get W500 million
(US$1=W1,075) per film, W80 million per episode of a TV drama and W800
million for a bundle of two TV commercials on a one-year contract.

"As
far as I know, Zo is getting W100 million per episode for his new
drama, which is W20 million more than before," a drama production CEO
said. Meanwhile, a staffer at advertising agency Cheil Worldwide said
the three are being offered W50 million to W100 million more than before
they entered the army for some TV commercials.

But it remains to
be seen whether they will be as competitive as they were in their
heydays as they have left show business for two years and are now in
their 30s.

"I think their star power has waned while they were
in the military. These days, Kim Soo-hyun, Song Joong-ki, Yu A-in and
Park Yoo-chun are rising stars, and people regard the quality of a film
or drama as more important than a star's popularity," a production CEO
pointed out.

However, Oh Se-kang, deputy director of SBS' drama
department, said, "As TV commercials in which they appeared were aired
for more than a year, even after they joined the army, viewers haven't
lost touch with them. There are not many A-list actors in their early
30s, so they're still very valuable."

Popular culture critic
Jeong Duk-hyun said, "Returning from military service can give actors a
good chance to change their personas and take on different roles."

Saturday, December 22, 2012

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History will open on Dec. 26. / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism

The
National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Gwanghwamun, central
Seoul, will finally open next week, after four years of construction.

Located right next to the U.S. embassy, it is one of the major cultural projects of the Lee Myung-bak administration.

The purpose of the $41.3 million museum to open Wednesday is to honor the modern economic and social achievements of Korea.

The
glass-walled seven-story museum houses about 43,000 items in a
collection covering the period from 1876, when the Joseon Kingdom
(1392-1910) opened its doors to the outer world. It also touches on
Japan’s colonization of the Korean Peninsula, the 1950-53 Korean War and
the economic growth of the 1970s and 80s.

The
seven-story museum houses about 43,000 items in a collection that
represents Korea’s economic and social transformations since 1876.

There
has been criticism that the museum is devoted to honoring certain
leaders, namely the military dictator Park Chung-hee, who is widely
recognized as the president that led Korea’s economic miracle after the
Korean War.

But the director of the museum refuted such views during a press conference Thursday.

“We
tried to show the economic and political advancements of our country
with a balanced viewpoint,” Kim Wang-sik, director of the museum said.
“This museum is not dedicated to a certain leader by any means.”

The 6,445-square-meter museum was formerly home to the culture ministry.

Visitors
will see Korea’s first mass-produced “Pony” car and “GoldStar” radio.
The Pony was a small rear-wheel drive automobile produced by Hyundai
Motor Company from 1975 to 1990. The museum purchased the car from a
collector in New Zealand.

Visitors can also view a
photo slideshow capturing the historic meeting in June 2000 at a
Pyongyang airport between the late former President Kim Dae-jung and
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il for the first inter-Korean summit since
the Korean War.

For foreigners who follows news on
Korea, there are editions of U.S. weekly TIME and Newsweek magazines
from the 1980s with cover stories on Korea’s economic growth and the
1980 Gwangju democracy uprising.

The museum also shows belongings of all presidents of the Republic of Korea, starting with Syngman Rhee.

The
museum will officially open on Dec. 26. Admission is free and it is
closed on Mondays. For more information, call 02-3703-9200.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Red Bean Porridge Warms Longest Night of the Year

Friday marks the winter solstice, or dongji in Korean, the
shortest day of the year. Koreans traditionally celebrate this day by
sharing a steaming bowl of red bean porridge with their family and
neighbors.

In the past, the red color of the porridge was thought
to dispel evil spirits, so it became a tradition to eat it on the
winter solstice when the night is long. The dish is made by slowly
boiling the red beans and adding round dumplings made of glutinous rice
flour.

On other occasions, red beans were eaten in the form of
porridge, cake, and steamed rice. When an epidemic broke out, red beans
were placed in wells in the belief that they would clean the water and
dispel the disease. When a neighbor lost a family member, red bean
porridge was offered to dispel evil spirits from the household in
mourning.

One of the customs still observed is handing out red
bean cake to coworkers or neighbors when launching a new business or
project or moving into a new place.

At the winter solstice,
people clear their debts to make a fresh start for the New Year, so why
not invite close relatives or friends and spend time together to look
back on the passing year?

In this undated handout photo, president-elect Park Geun-hye
plays with her father and then-president Park Chung-hee and her mother
Yuk Young-soo along with her younger brother and sister in Seoul,
sometime in the 1960s.

Left: Park (in white dotted circle) with her classmates on
an excursion in middle school; Right: Park plays the guitar sometime in
the 1960s, when she was in high school.

Park leaves Cheong Wa Dae after her father's funeral in
November 1979. He was assassinated by his security chief after a
drinking session.

Left: Park in her 20s; Right: Park, then chairwoman of the
Grand National Party, brings her party's signboard to the new
headquarters in March 2004, when she moved it to a tent in a bid to
remake the party.

Park backs merit-based appointments

President-elect
Park Geun-hye pledged Thursday to appoint people to important positions
based on their merits, not hometowns or school ties.

“I
will do my best to end the history of division here by adopting
measures for reconciliation and putting a halt to cronyism in public
service,” Park said at the ruling Saenuri Party’s headquarters. “I will
appoint people from all generations, regions and gender for key
government posts.”

Her remarks addressed one of the key common complaints against past and current governments as the sources of division.

At
the start of his presidency, the incumbent President Lee Myung-bak lost
a great deal of credibility when he gave plum jobs to his Korea
University alumni and church associates.

Park won
the Wednesday election with support of 51.7 percent, showing that the
remaining “nearly half” gave their support to her former rival Moon
Jae-in of the main opposition Democratic United Party.

The
President-elect’s separate meetings with the envoys came amid
heightened security tensions in Northeast Asia after North Korea
launched a long-range rocket, and leadership changes in countries
concerned with the region.

U.S. President Barack
Obama won a second-term last month, while China’s new leader Xi Jinping
is set to take over in months. In Japan, rightist leader Shinzo Abe was
elected Prime Minister, igniting speculation that Korea-Japan ties could
turn further sour if not properly managed.

On
Thursday, Park reaffirmed that she would mobilize diplomatic efforts to
bring peace and build partnerships to counter North Korea in a
coordinated manner.

“The presidential election
was held in the midst of a shift of the security environment on the
Korean Peninsula. North Korea’s launch of the long-range rocket led us
to realize the grim situation facing the nation,” the President-elect
said.

“Concerns are also growing over regional
tensions in East Asia and the global economy… I will live up to my
commitment that I will play a role in opening a new era for the Korean
Peninsula by building up security and launching trust-based diplomacy.”

Park
began her official schedule as President-elect by visiting the National
Cemetery in Dongjak-dong to pay tribute to national leaders, who are
buried there.

In the visitors’ book, she wrote, “I will begin a new era by bringing about change and reform.”

Park is expected to appoint the head of the presidential transition team and its members as early as next week.

Following Park Geun-hye's election as Korea's first woman
president, pundits are wondering what sort of leader she will make. Park
played up her supposed womanly qualities during the election campaign,
and this apparently persuaded some voters.

But what is a feminine leadership style, and how is Park likely to shape up in comparison with other prominent female leaders?

◆ Margaret Thatcher or Angela Merkel?

Former
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is one yardstick for a
feminine leadership style. Known as the "Iron Lady" for her assertive
ways, she was re-elected prime minister three times from 1979 to 1990.

But
Park is apparently more influenced by German Chancellor Angela Merkel,
an altogether milder presence on the international stage. The
president-elect wrote in her autobiography that there are many things
she has in common with Merkel, including economic and diplomatic goals,
the fact that they both came from conservative ruling parties and that
they studied science.

Other pundits compare Park to obscurer
figures like former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, whose term
ended in 2010, since she seeks to pursue social cohesion. Bachelet is
viewed as having played a role in uniting Chilean society, which had
remained deeply divided for many years after military dictatorship
ended.

◆ Strengths

Female leaders are often said to be somehow
more sympathetic and considerate than men. In Korea, men prefer a
leadership style based on command and control, while women seek
leadership based on social reciprocity. "Unlike men, who are used to
authoritarian and male-dominated styles of leadership, women tend to
place the importance on human bonds, consideration and cooperation,"
said Kim Kwang-woong at Seoul National University. "As a result, more
importance is placed on sympathy, harmony and persuasion rather than
conflict, feuding and command."

Experts claim another strong
point of women leaders is that they are less prone to corruption.
"Generally speaking, female leaders have a higher chance of being free
from corruption than male leaders," said Ka Sang-joon at Dankook
University. "Park has no husband or children so people think that all
she has to worry about are her siblings."

Park used this as a selling point during her campaign.

◆ Challenges

But
Park's leadership will be tested in traditional male domains like
national security and crisis management. "When it comes to a woman
president, the public is especially jittery about defense and relations
with North Korea," Ka said. "Women leaders score high in the areas of
welfare and social unity but can appear weak in terms of security and
defense," said Lee Nae-young at Korea University.

There are also
concerns that most of the officials Park has to deal with are men, which
could lead to difficulties in communication. This means a "womanly"
leadership style focusing on communication and sympathy could be less
efficient.

But experts say Park's own style is fairly
gender-neutral. "Park appealed to the public with her warm and soft
touch, but she can be adamant when it comes to her principles and places
a lot of importance on trust, which are commonly associated with male
leaders," said Choi Jin of the Institute of Presidential Leadership.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

A
visitor reads magazines at Paper Muse, the first fashion magazine
boutique in Itaewon, Seoul. The shop stocks about 150 kinds of
fashion magazines including international editions of Vogue, rare
trends, men’s fashion and children’s magazines.
/ Korea Times photo by Rachel Lee

Magazine
stands in large bookstores are usually swamped with readers looking for
specific titles to buy, but who often cannot find the publications they
seek. However, for these avid fashion readers, there is now an
alternative.

Paper Muse opened in August in a quiet
residential part of Itaewon in Seoul and is the perfect place for every
fashionista to escape to because the shop holds everything there is to
read about fashion.

“I have always been interested
in models, photography and fashion magazines in my life, which I believe
changed my career from a project manager in the electronics industry to
where I am now,” said owner Sung Kyun-won in an interview. “When I was
studying in London in 2003, I visited this old book shop called R.D
Frank. Since that day, I dreamed of opening a shop like R.D Frank in
Korea so I quit my job and dove into this business.”

Paper
Muse stocks about 150 kinds of fashion magazines including
international editions of Vogue, rare trends, men’s fashion and even
children’s magazines. On the shelves are publications from around the
world including The BITE, DASH, i-D, Stella, Man About Town, INDUSTRIE
and Material Girl.

“Most of the magazines stocked
here are from the United Kingdom, which I think is the biggest maker and
provider of print journalism, especially in fashion. You will find a
variety of stuff that you never heard before like LOVE. It has been a
best seller here,” said Sung.

For Sung, magazines
have never been disposable. Her massive interest in fashion and
photography has led to a collection of about 300 publications at her
house.

“I have collected magazines since I was 16.
They mean more than just some stuff that I read to catch up with new
trends. There are so many excellent ones out there that have amazing
stories and beautiful pictures,” said the owner.

Despite
such a short period of time since opening, an increasing number of
well-known figures in the industry and celebrities are visiting the
store as well as fashion students.

“One of my
regular customers is fashion designer Park Seung-gun. He comes here
pretty often. And the other day actress Kim Min-hee popped in the store
and bought a copy of Twin magazine,” said Jung.

A
30-year-old man surnamed Park who works in the fashion industry was
visiting the book shop with a colleague to browse new editions and do
research.

“I absolutely love this place and have
frequently visited here since my friend living in this area first
introduced me to it a month ago. This place is ideal for people like me
who constantly need a vast amount of information and ideas keep up to
date with the industry,” said Park. “And you know these days people tend
to read stuff online and on iPads but I find it never feels the same as
seeing the original stuff, I mean, the actual copies,” he added.

“I
hope to see an increase in sales in the near future but to be honest, I
would like to collect all the magazines stocked here and take them to
my house instead of selling them. I love magazines that much,” Jung
added. The owner also said that she plans to open an online shop next
year.

For more information about Paper Muse, visit www.papermuse.kr or call (02) 6406-6818.

A
Chinese ceremonial headdress from the 19th century is on display at
a special exhibition called “Wedding Rituals” at the National Folk
Museum of Korea through Feb. 11. / Courtesy of National
Folk Museum of Korea

Modern
weddings in Korea are quick and simple: a speedy ceremony and then
rushing to the meal afterwards. But in the past weddings were days-long
festivals among families and friends that embraced cultural elements.

The
diversity and uniqueness of wedding rituals from Korea, China, Japan,
Nepal and Vietnam can be seen at a special exhibition at the National
Folk Museum of Korea through Feb. 11.

The museum has
studied various wedding rituals of 25 tribes in five countries for five
years including field investigations and interviews. A total of 863
items from the Beijing Folk Arts Museum and the National Museum of
Japanese History and individuals from the different nations are on
display.

“While doing the research, we found
similarities among the five countries in traditional wedding rituals,”
exhibition curator Choi Eun-soo said.

Technology including transparent display methods and miracle glass is used to effectively show the documents and photos.

In
the exhibition hall, four video screens showing flamboyant wedding
outfits from the five countries capture the attention of visitors.

"Hwarot," a traditional Korean bridal robe from the early 20th century

The
first part of the exhibition includes invitations, engagement and
wedding gifts and books and documents usually exchanged before the
wedding. The curator said that the five countries share cultural
practices such as exchanging letters containing the birth dates of the
bride and groom to check their marital compatibility with a fortune
teller.

Gifts were exchanged before the wedding
ceremony although they vary by nation. In Nepal, household goods such as
bowls and dishes are popular wedding presents. In China, the bride’s
family gives stationery such as brushes to the groom while a groom’s
family offers jewelry set to the bride.

The
traditional Vietnamese wedding ceremony can’t start without a gift of
“Trau Cau” which symbolizes love and loyalty. Trau Cau is ground areca
nut, which is synonymous with marriage. Chewing it with lime paste is a
custom in daily life, which turns teeth black. The traditional Japanese
wedding ceremony also begins with the presentation of a gift box which
carries letters along with some money for buying an obi belt, regarded
as a luxurious, expensive item for kimono. “It’s very similar to the
Korean wedding culture,” the curator said.

The
second section shows wedding items such as paintings, decorations and
utensils used for the ceremony. Ornaments such as a wild goose figurine
in Korea, a pheasant and a snapper in Japan, Trau Cau in Vietnam, a
spirit tablet in China and a leaf-shaped silver statue in Nepal are used
to signify the harmony and loyalty of the couple.

The
third section features bridal chambers using high technology.
Transparent glass creates moving images of a bride and a groom entering
the chamber after a wedding ceremony in the Japanese bridal room. After
the images fade, the actual room appears behind the screen.

“Most
of the countries we researched have not preserved traditional wedding
rituals very well. Modern ceremonies are more prevalent. Koreans hold
their traditional wedding ceremonies in Korean House and other places
although the format is simplified,” Choi said. One traditional element,
“pyebaek” or the couple’s greeting of the groom’s family, still remains
in the modern Korean wedding ceremony.

The last
exhibit highlights various modern and traditional wedding garments from
the five countries. A variety of wedding dresses includes those designed
by the late iconic designer Andre Kim. There are also models wearing
“hanbok” (traditional Korean costumes) from wedding ceremonies in the
1940s in Pyongyang, North Korea. “In the 1940s, North Koreans put more
emphasis on hair accessories,” the curator said. In Japan, the robes are
marked with a family symbol.

The highlight of the
exhibition is a multimedia table which shows various images of newlyweds
and related stories attached to photos. Tapping on the photo, the
related stories pop up on a wide screen. The table can be used by six
people at the same time. The technique was developed by KAIST professor
Kim Jung-hwa. The content includes 700 photos of 97 couples who married
between 1933 and 2012 along with their stories.

Admission is free. For more information, call (02) 3704-3114 or visit www.nfm.go.kr.

Monday, December 17, 2012

North Korea marks the first anniversary of former leader Kim
Jong-il's death on Monday and the first year of his third son Jong-un's
rise to power.

North Korea has been in a frenzy of celebration
over the backward country's recent rocket launch. Since the rocket took
off on Wednesday, massive rallies have been held across the country
almost every day and the state media have stressed that the launch
accomplished Kim senior's last wishes, thus legitimizing his son's rule.

Thursday's
Rodong Sinmun covered the rocket launch on four of its six pages, and
on Friday the daily reported that Kim Jong-un had given a written order
to the satellite control center to launch it and inspected the center
later.

Wise to the possibility of failure since the last launch
in April tanked, the state media had not announced the launch in
advance.

A South Korean government official on Friday said the
regime's excitement is understandable since Kim Jong-un has accomplished
nothing else in his first year in power.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un smokes a cigarette while
waiting for the launch of a rocket last Wednesday on the outskirts of
Pyongyang. A copy of the letter (right corner) apparently written by Kim
shows his approval of the rocket launch. /Rodong Sinmun-Yonhap

The regime had long touted 2012 as the year when the North
would become "a powerful and prosperous nation," but amid an ongoing
food shortage and dire economic straits, the propaganda phrase has
quietly been allowed to die.

On the day of his father's funeral,
Kim Jong-un, who pledged economic reconstruction after adopting his
grandfather's old slogan "feed the people with rice and meat soup," told
senior officials to come up with new economic measures. He apparently
tried to implement some economic reforms, but they seem to have
floundered, a South Korean security official pointed out.

All the
while he has been busy purging party, government and the excessively
powerful military to tighten his grip, including demotions for the top
military officers who escorted the Kim Jong-il's hearse.

Nonetheless
he seems worried about overthrow attempts, and security around him was
tightened significantly, with armored vehicles deployed at his
residence.

North Koreans suffered severe flood damage this year,
but Kim did not go to any of the affected areas, apparently for security
reasons.

“Inuk,”
the first Greenlandic film to be screened in Korea, had a VIP premier
at the Lotte Cinema, Sangam-dong, Seoul, Saturday. This premier was
hosted by Greenland Prime Minister Kuupik Kleist who visited Korea for
talks on developing the arctic nation’s environmental policies as well
as the opening up of polar shipping routes.

The film
“Inuk” is a road movie about a young boy called Inuk, living in a
miserable home environment caught between a violent stepfather and an
alcoholic mother in Nuuk, the capital city of Greenland. He is sent to a
social welfare facility, where he goes sealing with Ikuma, a hunter.
“Inuk” is the first feature film of director Mike Magidson that reflects
the present Greenland which stands at the crossroad between the modern
and the traditional by tracking the changes of a boy who overcomes his
wounds and is re-born again. The movie has gained enormous attention
despite the conspicuous absence of big name stars.

“We
don’t produce many films in Greenland because our film industry is not
developed. But, this Greenlandic-language film has been awarded many
international movie awards, and I am very happy that the premier of this
film takes place during my visit to Korea. It is the absolutely perfect
end of the schedule of visiting Seoul,” said the prime minister.

Ole
Jorgen Hammeken who starred as the hunter, Ikuma, said “I was born in
the capital Nuuk, and was raised in the modern way, but through the
filming of this movie, I started to agonize about cultural transition
between our ancestors and us, and became aware of where we came from.”
The actor also said the film would resonate with Korean audiences
because it deals with universal issues such as teenagers’ angst and
family discord.

Director Lee Myung-se, known for the
film, “Nowhere to Hide,” Kim Dong-ho, honorary director of the Busan
International Film Festival, fashion designer Lie Sang-bong, Incheon
Mayor Song Young-gil, and Peter Lysholt Hansen, Ambassador of Denmark to
Korea attended the premier.

“This is a great
opportunity to present the beauty of Greenland to Korea. To give wider
publicity to this film, we are planning to make its debut in wide
release in Korea,” said Mininnquaq Kleist, the head of department of
Foreign Affairs of the Government of Greenland.

Before
the preview of the film, there was a performance by Greenland band Nive
Nielsen and the Deer Children, and a food tasting event served by
Greenland-born chef Jeppe E. Nielsen that featured raw prawns, shrimp
and grissini with smoked halibut.

“Inuk” is expected
to go on general release at the beginning of next year following
discussions with distributor company, Peter Pan Pictures.

A
woman is wearing a huge mask and cap in this file photo.
Overprotection against sunlight, however, is making people suffer from
vitamin D deficiency./ Korea Times file

Huge
masks and broad brimmed cap have been the symbol of middle aged women
here, who try to avoid sunlight as much as they can while taking a walk
for exercise. Ultraviolet rays are harmful, of course, but the people
here seem to have gone too far in protection against sunlight.

An
analysis showed that Koreans are increasingly suffering from vitamin D
deficiency, mostly due to their lack of exposure to the sun.

According
to data by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRAS),
around 16,000 people were treated for vitamin D deficiency last year,
marking an average 81.7 percent increase each year since 2007 when
around 1,800 people were treated.

Around 2.1 billion won was spent on treatment last year, up 644.1 percent from 280 million won in 2007.

By
gender, there were 4,140 men treated last year compared to 613 in 2007.
In the case of women, the figure stood at 12,490 last year, up 939.1
percent from 1,202 in 2007. “The annual growth is steep among women,”
HIRAS noted in the report.

A deficiency of vitamin D
hampers growth or leads to bone deformities, known as rickets or
osteomalacia. The vitamin determines the metabolism of calcium and
phosphorous. When there isn’t enough of it, the calcium and phosphorous
fail to accumulate in the bones, weakening them as a consequence. The
bones can bend as they lack strength, and can easily break due to a fall
in bone density.

One can get vitamin D through
food, supplements, or breast milk, but exposure to sunlight leads to the
synthesis of most vitamin D. The report attributed the rising number of
patients to the lack of exposure to sunlight. “The vitamin D deficiency
is increasing recently as people from all age groups have notably
decreased their outdoor activities during daytime, due to studies or
work. In the case of females, the overuse of sun block which screens
their skin from sunlight is also estimated to have made them suffer the
deficiency,” HIRAS said.

To prevent a deficiency,
one should try to maintain an adequate level of vitamin D in daily life.
The service said that exposing oneself to the sun after lunch helps a
lot. “Especially in winter, people tend to focus on indoor activities as
they refrain from going out due to the cold weather. However, one
should keep in mind that absorption of vitamin D through diet has
limitations. Taking supplements that contain vitamin D will also help,”
the service said. However, overexposure to sunlight isn’t recommended,
it warned.

It added that breast feeding mothers
should take special heed to get enough vitamin D as a deficiency will
lead to a deficiency in their baby as well.

Korea has been selected as the “Big Winner of 2012” by Canadian Business, Canada’s oldest economic magazine.

Published
in Toronto, Canadian Business said in its latest publication that
Korean companies simply ran 2012, ranking it along with the reelected
Barack Obama of the United States and the new chancellor of the Bank of
England Mark Carney, who happens to be Canadian.

Samsung Electronics dispatched Apple, Hyundai Motor won over Honda and Psy proved to be more popular than Justin Bieber.

The
magazine put particular emphasis on the popularity of Psy’s “Gangnam
Style,” mentioning that it has posted the largest-ever search count on
Youtube along with the horse-riding dance.

It also
said Samsung Electronics successfully beat out Apple in the sales of
smartphones and that LG Electronics is holding its position as the
leader on home electronics.

The magazine said that Korea has finally abandoned its image in the global market as a copycat with its advanced technologies.

Kim
Yang-sook, who was tapped as the first female stationmaster of Seoul
Station in its 112 year history, is moving to upgrade the station
facilities and make it a place where passengers enjoy more cultural
events.

She is leading renovation projects to make
the nation’s largest railroad station more appealing to visitors, with
her colleagues fully supporting her.

“She is a calm
person and sometime sentimental. But once she starts working, she
becomes a real mover and shaker,” said Park Doo-ho, one of her coworkers
who is a director of the Management and Human Resources Department at
the Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail).

“It was a
big thing that she became the first female leader of the station as men
tended to dominate the railroad sector so far,” Park said. “Nobody
opposed her appointment because everyone knew that she was the right
person thanks to her rich experience in public relations and culture.”

He said everyone at Korail was satisfied with her performance so far ― she assumed the leadership post about a month ago.

“She
definitely has strength as a woman leader. She sometimes views things
that men would not think of, especially in terms of public relations,”
he said.

When Korail officially announced Kim’s
appointment last month, Kim told reporters that: “I am excited and
nervous as many people think of Seoul Station as a symbol of Korail. I
will do my best to make the station more luxurious by establishing right
systems and introducing diverse traditional cultural events.”

More than 300,000 passengers use the station every day. It accounts for 16 percent of Korail’s total revenue.

“I
want to create a convenient and unique atmosphere featuring distinct
Korean characteristics. For example, I want to have Korean classical
music played in the station so that people come to the station and enjoy
some cultural events,” she said.

The 44-year-old
plans to improve the design of the station from the beginning of next
year. The plans include renovating Seoul Station Plaza in order to
change it into a cultural space.

As part of this effort, Kim organized a music concert in the station last Saturday.

She began her railroad career in 1987 after her father suggested to her that Korail was a respectable job.

“At
the time, I was studying the college entrance exam but my father asked
me to take Korail’s employment exam,” she said, admitting that she was
regretful at first that she didn’t go to the university.”

But
she just focused on her work and held a series of posts, including
stationmaster of SeoDaejeon Station and the head of Korail’s culture and
public relations department.

Over 2,000 people in Santa Claus costumes appeared in Changwon,
known as the city of bicycles in South Gyeongsang Province, on Sunday.
They took part in a cycling parade that the southern city organizes
annually to raise funds for those in need. In its fourth year, the
parade this year was designed to help teenage breadwinners.

After an opening ceremony, the red-robed participants rode
bicycles along the 9 km course throughout the city. Performers led the
way, spraying artificial snow in their tracks. All the donations and
proceeds from a charity bazaar went to the Community Chest of Korea, a
charity organization.

Game developer NCSoft donated W10 million to the CCK's
provincial chapter and 500 bikes to the city. Hyundai Wia, a
locally-based automotive parts manufacturer, delivered bicycles to 14
households who rely on adolescents as the main income earners.

Visitors
to the parade venue enjoyed various activities, such as writing down
their hopes and dreams for the year ahead, taking pictures with Santa,
making clay dolls and having caricatures of themselves drawn.

"I hope the event serves to raise awareness of those less
fortunate than ourselves," said Cho Ki-ho, the city's vice mayor, at the
opening ceremony. He urged the participants to pursue more efforts to
promote a society that actively helps its underprivileged communities.

"As well as being for a good cause, this event aims to
encourage people to ride bicycles in the winter [when Korea faces a
bigger threat of power outages due to surging power demand]," said Kim
Jong-oe, head of a local bicycle riders' association. "We hope the event
will grow to attract more participants, not only from the city but also
from around the world."

North Korea's successful rocket launch on Wednesday was the
result of 40 years of investment in the arms industry, experts say. The
North began pouring its national resources into developing its weapons
in 1966 following the second Workers' Party conference, which led to an
official decision to pursue defense and economic development in tandem.

Close
to a million people work in North Korean arms production, according to
unofficial estimates. The regime takes special care of them by giving
them priority in food rations.

"The families of people working
for in arms production got food rations even during the worst famine" in
the mid to late 1990s, said one North Korean who defected in 2005.

Scientists and technicians celebrate after the launch of a rocket in Pyongyang on Wednesday. /Yonhap

North Korea plucked the elite among students from top
engineering schools such as Kim Chaek University of Technology and
Pyongyang University of Science and Technology and put them to work at
various research institutes to develop weapons. The leading institute is
the Second Academy of Natural Science, which is the North Korean
equivalent of the South's Agency for Defense Development. The North has
some 3,000 missile experts alone, according to one military source here.

Pak
To-chun, the party secretary for munitions, Ju Kyu-chang, the director
of the party's Machine-Building Industry Department and Paek Se-bong,
the chairman of the Second Economic Committee, are the leading officials
in arms development. They are sometimes referred to as North Korea's
"missile troika." Pak became secretary for munitions in 2010 when Jon
Byong-ho, considered a key player in the North's arms industry, retired.

Friday, December 14, 2012

This
photo shows L’Oreal’s 3D-effect Color Riche Le Nail Art Stickers
(12,000 won), which is available in six designs. The stickers are
perfect for those who need a quick makeover just before partying. /
Courtesy of L’Oreal Korea

All women want to look good whenever they go out.

As the party season is just around the corner, many of them start to worry about their party looks.

With
the constant round of working late and after-work socializing, women
often end up worrying about their looks even before heading off to
parties.

Now here are five must-have items recommended to freshen up the make-up bag and glam up the party looks.

This
is a scene at “First Thursdays Afterwork” orginized by HSK Events and
held last year at Banyan Tree Seoul. Many women wish to stand out from
the crowd and look their best especially during the Christmas partyseason. The right makeup will glam up the overall party styling. For more information about the party, visit www.afterworkseoul.com. / Courtesy of HSK Events

Ways to look your best for the parties

Now
that the streets are decorated with sparkling Christmas lights, some
women’s hearts are fluttering with festive feelings, and, as these begin
to flow, attention turns to party frocks.

Perhaps
more than other times of the year, many women wish to stand out from the
crowd and look their best. They’ve chosen their dress with shoes to
match, but for a complete look, they shouldn’t forget the artistry of
makeup.

Golden Gloss No.55from Yves SaintLaurent

“The
three most important things to remember about party makeup are time,
place and situation,” makeup artist, Kim Hwal-ran of Musee Neuf in
Gangnam, southern Seoul, said last week in an interview.

“Don’t
try to highlight every part of your face. Focus on one area that you
feel confident about. If you are confident about your lips, for example,
put on some shimmering gloss to shine out at parties.”

Golden
Gloss No.55 from Yves Saint Laurent Christmas 2012 collection is a
must-have item to pop into a clutch bag. This limited edition lip gloss,
available in two colors Arctic Blue and Polar Pink,

causes a subtle mother-of-pearl sparkle on the lips, while protecting them with a formula of nourishing oils.

“It’s
my favorite gloss so far. Not sticky at all and I am impressed with the
staying power of the product (was over eight hours and going strong)
and the amazing color — is so natural looking but also has fine gold
sparkles,” Ashley Shone, a 25-year-old office worker in London, said
Thursday in an email interview.

Kim
Sun-a, a freelance makeup artist based in London, recommends two
necessary makeup items for working women who attend parties straight
after work.

“It’s hard to put a lot of effort into
your makeup especially if you do not have time to go home and get ready.
It can be frustrating for women,” Kim said Wednesday in an email
interview. “I recommend L’Oreal’s 3D nail sticker

Laura Mercier’s Artist’s Palette for Eyes (75,000) / Courtesy of BMK

and Chanel’s Joues Contraste in Star Dust. Both of them are perfect for a quick make over.”

L’Oreal’s
3D-effect Color Riche Le Nail Art Stickers, released in December, are
available in six designs. It is a new solution for women who don’t want
to leave their nails bare.

Applying them is very
simple; choose a sticker size that best suits the nails, then peel them
off the paper and position the sticker at the base of the nails. Once
applied, smooth it across the rest of the nail. File the self-adhesive
part, and it’s done.

“I seldom apply nail polish
because I have to wait for the nail polish to dry. When I first applied
these nail stickers, I thought they were very gentle and safe to use on
bare and even gelish nails. They do not hurt my nails, even when I am
peeling them off, I love it,” said Lee Min-sun, a wedding planner, said
Friday in an interview.

With such vibrant nails,
blush can help highligh a woman’s face. Chanel’s Joues Contraste in Star
Dust is the latest powder blush from the Chanel Holiday 2012 Makeup
Collection: Eclats Du Soir De Chanel. It’s a pale, soft pink with a
multi-colored iridescence and a gorgeous subtle satiny sheen finish.

“We
need to add a subtle glow and luminescence to our complexion especially
in party makeup. This product just blends extremely well and looks very
natural,” said Kim Sun-a. “The powder leans towards being more of a
highlighter than to primarily adding color to the cheeks. Unless you
keep layering, the pink is so soft, even for pale complexions.”

Arguably
the most fun part is applying eye makeup. For those who want to look
perfect but don’t know what color eye shadow would look best, below is a
palette of a dozen eye shadow colors, hand-selected by Laura Mercier,
in shimmer and matte finishes.

Laura Mercier’s new
Artist’s Palette for Eyes consists of two rows. The top one features a
range of dark to light shimmer shades in Chocolate, African Violet,
Sable, Guava, Cameo, and Sunlit. The bottom row includes light to dark
matte finishes in Vanilla Nut, Plum Smoke, Cafe au Lait, Coffee Ground,
Deep Night, and Rich Coffee. There’s enough variety to do several
different looks from basic wash to smokey and the dark colors can make
liners used wet.

“One thing to remember when
dressing your eyes is the eyeliner and eye shadow should be the same
color. If you are using shades of blue, try navy eyeliner, it will look
very sophisticated and modern,” said Kim Hwal-ran.

Ideal for gift: Bobbi Brown’s Mini Brush Set

There’s
no reason why the make-up brushes have to be big and boring. Bobbi
Brown’s cute Mini Brush Set will freshen up the make-up bag, and it is
the perfect size for popping in a handbag or for partying. Contains a
mini blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner and lip brush. The blush brush is dense
enough to pick up color and blend it in very well. The eye shadow brush
is the perfect size for applying lid color and highlight to small Asian
eyes.